When Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo collected his third FIFA Ballon d`Or award last month he was enjoying a run of form that was spectacular even by his standards and the European champions were riding high.

Cristiano Ronaldo`s agent has defended the FIFA Ballon d`Or winner after he was criticised for throwing a lavish 30th birthday party on Saturday hours after Real Madrid`s 4-0 La Liga drubbing at Atletico.

Germans, who had hoped for a clean sweep at the FIFA Ballon d`Or, expressed disappointment on Tuesday after their World Cup-winning goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came third in the vote for the 2014 world player of the year.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter paid tribute to the victims of last week`s terror attacks in France, telling Monday`s Ballon d`Or awards ceremony in Zurich that "this evening we are all a little bit French".